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Fundraising Tuesday: How to Tailor Your Case for Support to Different Audiences

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A guest post by Bob Happy of Averill Solutions

Whether you’re launching a capital campaign or a smaller-scale fundraising initiative, a case for support is an essential tool for showing your supporters why they should give.

A case for support, also known as a case statement, is a document that outlines your campaign’s goals and needs while connecting the project back to your larger cause.

Just as important as determining what goes into your case for support is learning how to tailor it to your organization’s different audiences in your campaign marketing materials. If you can effectively adapt your core campaign messages to different groups’ needs and preferences, you’ll be better equipped to connect with them and make a compelling argument for why you need their individual support. Let’s dive in!

First Things First: Understanding Your Audiences

To cater to different audiences with your case for support, you first need to understand the various audiences you want to address. While you may want to invest in fundraising consulting services to take your research efforts to the next level, there are a few strategies you can employ on your own. These include:

  • Analyze your supporter data. Brush up on what you know about your community of supporters by turning to the data you have in your database. Take a look at what the information says about your audiences’ demographics, engagement histories, giving patterns, values, interests, and motivations. If you see that your data needs to be updated, consider investing in data appending services.
  • Solicit and apply feedback. Gather feedback about your supporters’ experiences with your organization through surveys, interviews, or focus groups. Then, demonstrate that you value that feedback by taking it into account when tailoring your case statement. This not only helps you get a more candid view of your supporters but also gives you a chance to build trust with them.
  • Segment your audience. Segmentation is the process of sorting your supporters into different groups based on shared characteristics. For instance, you might segment your supporters by giving level, volunteer status, geographic location, or even age.

Throughout this research process, your goal should be to identify a handful of distinct audiences you want to reach during your campaign.

For example, you may choose to target supporters in your local area and around the country. Within the group in your local area, you could create subgroups of those who currently volunteer, those who have volunteered in the past, and those who have not yet volunteered.

Each of these groups will respond differently to your case for support, so it’s your job to use what you know about each to tailor your marketing materials, the format of the messages, and the delivery of the message to their needs and expectations.

Let’s now jump into some tips for doing just that.

Tip #1: Address your audience’s concerns.

No matter who your specific audiences are, there are likely concerns or hurdles they face when it comes to giving to your campaign. Whether your organization is an environmental conservation nonprofit and supporters worry that the gift they can give is too small to make a difference, or your organization is a church and you know some parishioners don’t understand the importance of your annual appeal, you can be proactive in addressing any issues.

Here are some strategies for doing so:

  • Provide multiple ways to give (online, over the phone, via mail, etc.) and emphasize how quick and easy the process is.
  • Share compelling impact stories that illustrate the importance of your supporters’ gifts.
  • Assure your audience of your organization’s commitment to careful financial stewardship, giver privacy, and data security.
  • Educate your audience about non-monetary ways to support your cause, like volunteering, making in-kind gifts, doing advocacy work, or simply spreading the word about your mission.

Tip #2: Experiment with different formats.

Your different audiences will inevitably have different preferences in terms of what communication channels they use and at what frequency they like to receive your messages. Address these by experimenting with different formats and channels for your marketing materials.

Here’s an example of how you might do this:

  • First, you create a formal case for support document for use by your internal team. This includes a detailed description of your fundraising goals, projects you plan to complete with the funding you receive, and more.
  • Next, you adapt the case for support document into a print brochure that you can mail to one of your key audiences. The brochure includes compelling visuals and the key reasons your organization needs the recipients’ gifts.
  • You also use the case statement to develop a series of social media posts you can use on Instagram and Facebook. These are more concise, visual-heavy messages that stress the impact supporters can have on your beneficiaries by giving.

As you can see, using different formats will allow you not only to connect with different audiences and make a case for your campaign but also to spread out the narrative of your campaign across a variety of touchpoints. This way, when someone encounters a message about your campaign in multiple formats, the message will feel both consistent and fresh.

Tip #3: Seek feedback on the different versions of your case.

To take the guesswork out of tailoring your case for support to different audiences, consider going straight to the source and seeking feedback from your audiences on different versions of your case.

Sometimes there will be formal opportunities to do this. For instance, Averill Solutions explains that part of a feasibility study for a capital campaign involves going over your case for support with stakeholders and major givers. But in other campaign contexts, this will be a more informal process.

When you get the drafted campaign materials in front of your supporters, ask them the following questions to judge the different versions’ effectiveness:

  • Is the information easy to understand? What additional details would you like to see included?
  • Did this message evoke any specific emotions or feelings?
  • Were there any design elements that were particularly effective or ineffective?
  • Do you have any additional suggestions for improving our messages to make them more impactful or persuasive?
  • How likely are you to support the campaign based on what you’ve seen/read in this material?

Make sure you seek this feedback well ahead of launching your campaign so you have time to incorporate your supporters’ comments and suggestions into the finalized versions of your campaign materials.

For your next fundraising campaign to succeed, ensure your supporters are on board with your campaign. Tailoring your case for support to different audiences within that community is a great way to start. Use the guidance above to get started, and don’t hesitate to reach out to a fundraising consultant if you need further assistance.

Bob Happy head shotAuthor: Bob Happy

Bob Happy brings nearly 35 years of experience providing expert leadership and direction to clients across the not-for-profit sector to his current role as President of Averill Solutions.

Before forming Averill Solutions, Bob served as the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the nation’s largest fundraising firm. He has mentored hundreds of professional fundraising practitioners and many have joined him at Averill Fundraising Solutions.

 

Fundraising Tuesday: Top 5 Charity Auction Items That Your Supporters Will Love

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A guest post by Jason Champion of Winspire

If you’ve ever planned an auction for your nonprofit, you know that the process involves many decisions, from choosing its format to selecting marketing channels to spread the word. But the most important choices you’ll need to make before the event concern the prizes up for grabs.

It’s essential to keep upfront costs relatively low to maximize your event’s return on investment (ROI). However, you also need to seek out high-quality, unique auction items that will catch your supporters’ attention!

In this guide, we’ll discuss the top five charity auction items to add to your catalog for maximum supporter appeal and fundraising potential. These include:

  1. Travel Packages
  2. Gift Baskets
  3. Event Tickets
  4. Signed Celebrity Memorabilia
  5. Fine Food and Beverages

Keep in mind that you’ll need to procure a different number and collection of items depending on what type of auction you host. Winspire’s charity auction items guide suggests offering 12-15 high-value prizes at live auctions, all of which need to be high-value to ensure a positive event ROI. Meanwhile, silent auctions can include 100 items or more at a variety of price points to engage as many supporters as possible. That being said, let’s dive in!

1. Travel Packages

Travel-related items tend to sell well at nonprofit auctions due to their uniqueness and broad appeal. Consider including a mix of travel items to match different participants’ interests, such as:

  • Complete vacation packages for a few distinct locations. For example, you could feature one tropical resort getaway, one international sightseeing trip, and one tour of famous national parks.
  • Flexible airline and/or hotel reservations where the winning bidder can choose their own vacation. Make sure to specify any restrictions on this prize’s use (destinations, travel dates, spending limits, etc.).
  • Road trip supply bundles that include items like a trunk organizer, car emergency kit, cooler, snacks, sunglasses, car games, and gift cards for a popular gas station chain to appeal to local travelers.

While requesting in-kind donations of auction items reduces upfront event costs, travel-based prizes are rarely donated. Fortunately, there are dedicated providers of consignment auction travel packages that your nonprofit can partner with to procure these items conveniently and at the best prices.

2. Gift Baskets

Gift baskets are a silent auction staple! However, you can also include baskets in live auctions if you pair them with a vacation or other experience that brings them up to the proper quality standard.

Here are some tips to make your gift baskets stand out:

  • Design each basket around a theme. One of the easiest ways to acquire a themed basket is to ask one of your nonprofit’s corporate sponsors to donate samples of their products and services. For example, a beauty supply store could provide a gift basket of popular makeup and skincare products along with a certificate for an in-store tutorial.
  • Consider the basket’s appearance. When assembling your baskets, place the most visually appealing items front and center, and make each basket look full to increase its perceived value.
  • Give each basket a catchy and creative title. Put yourself in your supporters’ shoes when coming up with titles—for instance, if you were attending your auction, would you be more inclined to bid on the “Cooking Supplies Basket” or the “Home Chef Starter Kit”?

On the bid sheet for each basket, list all of the items inside so participants can understand its value at a glance. This list can also be helpful to your team to ensure you price the basket correctly.

3. Event Tickets

Some of your auction participants will likely come looking for highly sought-after tickets to events like concerts, musicals, and athletic events. Besides avoiding the hassle of ticketing websites, these supporters will appreciate spending less money on a better event experience.

To provide a better event experience and drive up bids, consider bundling the following elements into one auction item:

  • Two to four tickets for the best seats in the house
  • A piece of event merchandise for each attendee
  • A voucher for food and beverages at the venue
  • A photo opportunity with one of the performers or athletes after the event

The easiest way to solicit these auction items is to contact the event venue or organizer directly. Many venues offer nonprofit discounts on tickets, but you may need to negotiate with them to secure the entire bundle.

4. Signed Celebrity Memorabilia

While some supporters may enjoy an experience based around their favorite performers or athletes, others might prefer a keepsake signed by a celebrity. Although popular, these auction items can be challenging when it comes to validity and pricing. Always double-check that signed memorabilia is legitimate, and compare several estimates before finalizing the price.

Additionally, NXUnite’s nonprofit event planning guide emphasizes the importance of tailoring events to your target audience, which is especially true when choosing signed memorabilia. For example, an older audience might want to bid on a guitar signed by one of the Beatles, while younger supporters may get more excited about one signed by Taylor Swift.

5. Fine Food and Beverages

Good food and drinks bring people together, and they’re great prizes for auction participants who don’t want to add “clutter” to their lives. Your food and beverage auction items could include:

  • An experience such as dining out or attending a cooking class
  • Tangible items like a gourmet coffee sampler or box of fine chocolates
  • Both of the above—for instance, a tour of a vineyard that comes with bottles of wine to take home

For any auction items involving alcohol, verify that the winning bidder is age 21 or older. This ensures that your nonprofit can avoid liability and that the winner can fully enjoy their prize.
If you aren’t sure which auction items your supporters will enjoy most, communicate with them! Send out a survey to your target audience, and invite loyal volunteers to join your auction item procurement team so you can get a firsthand perspective on their interests and narrow your search accordingly.

Jason Champion head shotJason Champion is the Vice President of Business Development at Winspire, a global provider of luxury experiences for charity auctions and fundraisers. He is responsible for the next-stage corporate brand vision as the company’s branding leader, driving performance via product and service innovation, strategic brand planning and positioning, multiplatform content marketing, and communications, creative, digital campaigns, customer success, and business development.

Fundraising Tuesday: Sometimes Ugly Works

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The appeal letter could be called ugly. It had none of the designer elements you see in so many pieces of direct mail. No photos, no color. Four sides of black-and white text.

The reply vehicle was crowded with information, with hardly any blank space to rest the eyes.

But the story it told was uglier:

A joint investigation by the Department of Labor, Homeland Security, the State Department, the FBI, and other federal agencies has uncovered what they called “modern-day slavery” in several southern U.S. states.

I don’t have any data, but I’m willing to bet this appeal last year from the United Farm Workers raised a ton of money. Why? The UFW:

  1. Knows its audience. I’m from a generation that tends to read more and skim less, especially when outraged. I’m also a longtime supporter of the organization. They can count on my attention.
  2. Uses an attention-grabbing first sentence. “Don’t let the cutesy name, Operation Blooming Onion, fool you.” Nobody wants to be fooled, right? I had to read on to find out what the pretty name was hiding.
  3. Deploys bold type and italics for emphasis. It may be all text, but it’s not the dreaded wall of text. If I read only the bold type, I would get the gist!
  4. Asks for money both at the beginning of the letter and at the end.
  5. Takes advantage of the postscript to stress the urgency of the appeal.

Above all, that ugly phrase “modern-day slavery” shows up again and again in the body of the letter, and the reply vehicle echoes it. It’s headed MY GIFT TO END AGRICULTURAL SLAVERY!

Not to help meet the UFW’s fiscal-year goals. Who cares about that? Not to “make a difference” (although that bland phrase does appear once in the whole letter).

The appeal letter focused on the ugly reality of agribusiness employing foreign workers as field slaves. That’s what the readers are going to hate. That’s what we will donate to end.

Can you follow the UFW’s example? Think: What’s the ugly reality that your nonprofit can ask your donors to erase?

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